Premature Lungs

The primary outcome of this study is to determine if the use of the FDA-approved DandleLion NeoBellyBand increases the thickness of the rectus abdominis muscle in premature babies receiving continuous positive pressure ventilation, leading to infants reaching full oral feedings at an earlier corrected gestational age.

Clinical trial with crossed groups, open, masked for the evaluation of the main outcome. Inclusion of all premature infants with a birth weight less than 1500 g requiring Non-invasive Ventilation (NIV). Premature will be randomised to start alternatively with MT or 3DM. Each patient included will be their own control at the same time, receiving each of the different mask models every 4 hours alternately. The study period will be a maximum of 7 days. To compare the time in which preterm maintain SatO2 below 85% with the 3DM versus the traditional mask (TM) in preterm \< 1500 g. Other secondary objectives regarding ventilation enhancement will be assessed, such as the number of bradycardias, cardiorespiratory arrest and need for resuscitation in the context of apnea. Also, skin lesions of the nose resulting from the pressure applied by any of the masks (TM or 3DM) and the need for analgesia and/or sedation for pain control or discomfort will be assessed. Parental perception and satisfaction will be assessed.

Background: In premature babies, many organ systems are not fully grown and developed, including the lungs and respiratory muscles, so they will need breathing support to help them to breathe by preventing their tiny air sacs to collapse. This support commonly done by CPAP and Non-Invasive Positive Pressure Ventilation (NIPPV) therapy by giving some pressure and oxygen to their lungs through an interface placed on their noses. Both (CPAP and NIPPV) can be used as a support modality for respiratory distress syndrome, apnea of prematurity, and providing breathing support after extubation from the full mechanical breathing support. The CPAP supports the baby's immature lungs by delivering constant pressure to keep their lungs and breathing well supported. Whereas the NIPPV will use constant pressure in the background (similar to CPAP), and on top, it will give extra intermittent puffs at regular intervals to support the baby's breathing. The NIPPV is the most common choice by the clinicians when the traditional CPAP is no longer effective, to avoid the full mechanical breathing support and to protect the developing lungs. Studies suggested that NIPPV is better than the traditional CPAP in reducing the need of the baby to need full mechanical breathing support. This might be because the investigators tend to use lower pressures with CPAP (5-8 cmH2O) compared to relatively higher pressures with NIPPV. More recently, clinicians showed the safety of using equivalent higher CPAP pressures (\>9 cmH2O) to what the investigators use in the NIPPV in preterm babies. One way to measure the support that the investigators are giving to the patient with the different devices is to measure the diaphragm activity, which the investigators call the Edi signal, using a special feeding catheter and a specific machine to measure it. The catheter is placed and used as a routine feeding tube but has sensors at the end to measure this Edi signal. One opening of the tube will be connected to a computer to record the Edi signals. The other opening of the tube will be used for feeding.